


Halo

by Patricia_Sage



Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Blaine and Kurt are Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angel!Blaine, Annoying Rachel, First Kiss, Glee club competition, Klaine, M/M, Papa Bear Burt, Slight Kurt Angst, Soulmates, Wingfic, klaine AU, mentions of past bullying
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-29
Updated: 2013-11-29
Packaged: 2018-01-02 23:55:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1063206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Patricia_Sage/pseuds/Patricia_Sage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kurt turned to the stage when the next glee club was announced—an all-boy a Capella group called the Dalton Academy Warblers.  Knowing they were private school boys, he expected to see the blazers and ties, the short hair, the charming smiles.</p>
<p>What he didn’t expect was for the lead singer to have large white wings coming out of his shoulder blades.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Halo

The McKinley High New Directions filed in between the rows until they found their designated seats and sat down, trying not to look as nervous as they felt. Today was Regionals and the three glee clubs competing were nearly vibrating in anticipation as the program was about to start. The order began with a group of elderly people called the Hipsters, followed by an all-boy prep school glee club called the Warblers, and the New Directions performed last.

“We have to win,” Kurt Hummel stated, narrowing his blue eyes defiantly at the closed curtain on the stage.

His step brother, a tall boy by the name of Finn Hudson, agreed with him immediately. “Yeah, man,” he said, adjusting the cuff on his jacket, “Rachel will go crazy if we lose…and she’ll probably blame it on me or Tina.”

“Tina? She doesn’t do anything.”

“Exactly.”

“But, Rachel would hate it if she did do anything and ended up stealing her spotlight.”

“Yeah, I dunno, okay? Girls don’t make any sense.”

“No, your girlfriend doesn’t make any sense.”

“Yeah…”

The conversation ended there to be replaced by the usual nervous chatter around them, but Kurt’s mind could not keep quiet. They had to win this competition. If they did, it would take them to Nationals in New York—Kurt’s dream city. Going to New York would mean everything to Kurt; it would let him escape from all the years of Hell he’d gone through in high school, it would show him that maybe he could make it and get into the school of his dreams, it would represent leaving narrow-minded jocks in Ohio behind and starting a brand new life for himself. This was Kurt’s senior year and he wanted to have some sort of accomplishment to show that it had meant something, that he was more than the countless names he’d been called since he was fourteen. He wanted to win Nationals and show them all…but mostly prove it to himself.

But, first, they had to win Regionals.

The lights dimmed and the judges were introduced. Kurt could see Tina squealing when Josh Groban stood up and he laughed a little. “Who is that?” Finn said loudly to him over the applause and screaming girls/middle-aged women.

The noise died down when the introductions finished and Kurt took that moment to explain. “He’s a dreamy, funny dork who sings a mixture of pop and opera music. Bitches love him.”

Finn didn’t have time to reply because a guy with a clown nose was announcing the first show choir of the evening. “…Put your hands together for,” Dramatic pause, “…the Hipsters!”

The group of old people performed a medley of songs, including one called ‘There’s a Bluebird on Your Windowsill’ to which Brittany knew every word. After they finished, everyone clapped politely. Sam, sitting on Kurt’s other side, looked horrified. The brunette nudged him in the ribs. “What’s wrong?” Kurt asked.

“Dude, is that us in the future?” the blonde replied, “In, like, thirty years…we’ll be the Old Directions, grooving on stage like that…”

Kurt stared at him for a bit, then turned to the stage when the next glee club was announced—an all-boy a Capella group called the Dalton Academy Warblers. Knowing they were private school boys, he expected to see the blazers and ties, the short hair, the charming smiles.

What he didn’t expect was for the lead singer to have large white wings coming out of his shoulder blades.

Kurt gasped. “Their soloist is an Angel,” he whispered.

Angels were incredibly rare; only about twenty in each state of America. The fact that there was one—and a teenager, in fact!—at their regional glee club competition was astounding. Kurt could almost feel the energy from the audience peak as the mumbling increased in volume. The boy on stage seemed aware of it but he only smiled charmingly and took his place at the tip of the triangle formation, his gorgeous wings extended impressively. He had no shame and Kurt admired him fiercely for the way he proudly stood up there in front of an audience steadily whispering about him.

One of the Warblers on the edge of the group blew a note on a pitch pipe and, moments later, they lifted their faces and their voices to sing. Kurt immediately recognized the intro to ‘Halo’ by world-renowned Angel superstar, Beyoncé. This song was pretty much the anthem for all Angels on the earth, as it depicted their lifelong goal to find their Soulmate.

When an Angel was brought into the world, they were without a part of their soul. They spent their life searching for it. The missing part of them was born into another person—their Soulmate—and showed itself in the form of a halo over that person’s head. Only the Angel could see this Halo, the indication of the missing part of their soul, and it was their life goal to find their Soulmate…or they would never be truly complete.

Kurt had always been fascinated by Angels and their nearly-heartbreaking lifelong search. However, he didn’t really know much more. When that beautiful, achingly young Angel on stage opened his mouth to sing, it made Kurt want to know everything. He sang with such emotion, such blind hope in finding his Soulmate that it made Kurt’s own heart soar with him.

The performance was breathtaking. The lead singer moved with a humble grace and the rest of the boys flowed with him like solid shadows. However, the Angel faltered slightly around the time of the second verse. He was scanning the crowd with a bright confidence when the stage smile slipped off his face for a fleeting moment to reveal a softly shocked expression. It was only a millisecond of hesitation and then he got right back into the song. Kurt began to wonder if he imagined the break in his stage presence, as he was performing with more lustre and enthusiasm than ever, giving the song a delighted feel to it rather than the hopeful melancholy it held before. It seemed as though the Warblers captured the audience in a spell and it was broken when the last of their voices faded away to be replaced by thunderous applause.

The boys on stage bowed, the Angel’s wings fluttered in excitement, and then they exited the stage. “How are we supposed to follow that?” Kurt asked when the New Directions filed out of their seats to go to the green room. Finn just shrugged.

*****

The Warblers held their composure until they were out of sight of the audience. Once they were behind the curtain, they proceeded to cheer and jump around, hugging each other. “That was amazing!” Nick exclaimed, coming up to their lead singer, Blaine. “Where did all that energy come from? That was the best we’ve ever performed!”

Blaine couldn’t keep a ridiculous grin off of his face. His wings flapped behind him as he laughed in pure joy. “Nick, you’ll never guess what—”

He was interrupted by Wes coming up and clapping him on the back in the space between his wings. “Fantastic job, Blaine,” he congratulated, “But how come you changed the plan? We were supposed to be going for hopeful melancholy, but you—”

“Shut up, Wes.”

“He was amazing!”

“We kicked ass!”

Wes held up a hand to subdue his fellow Warblers. “No, guys, calm down. I’m not criticizing; I’m just wondering what changed Blaine’s mind. Was it a spur-of-the-moment thing, or…?”

Blaine looked so happy that he might burst. “I literally saw my Halo in the audience. My Soulmate is here!”

The room was filled with exclamations of surprise, support and delight. It was rare for an Angel to find their Soulmate in their teen years. “So, did you get a look at her?”

Blaine shrugged, smile never fading. “It was dark, but I could see a little of his face in the light of the Halo. I’m going to find him after the competition.”

Most of the guys continued to pat him on the shoulder or wish him luck/congratulations, but Sebastian Smythe raised an interested eyebrow. “Wait, Blaine likes guys?” he interjected.

Jeff smacked him on the arm. “Blaine only likes one guy, dipshit,” he responded. The simple fact was that Angels weren’t attracted to anyone or any type of person that wasn’t their Soulmate. They were impossibly exclusive and they pretty much devoted their lives to their other half. It was magical, but could sometimes be heartbreaking when that power was abused.

David beckoned to the group. “Come on, guys, let’s take our seats. The New Directions have to perform.”

And perform they did. The glee club from McKinley was quite good, actually. Wes was impressed, Nick was excited, Jeff was dancing, and David was clapping along. Blaine, however, was completely enthralled. He reached over and poked David’s arm insistently, his delighted gaze never leaving the stage. “What, Blaine?” the dark-skinned boy asked, “I know you love the song, okay?”

“No, no, David!” Blaine exclaimed. He was nearly jumping up and down in excitement. His wings rustled behind him, rubbing against the back of the chair and the fabric of his Dalton blazer. “He’s there! He’s right there!”

“Who is?”

“My Soulmate!”

“Really? Where?”

“On the stage! He’s part of the New Directions! David!”

The tall boy laughed at his friend’s enthusiasm. Blaine had the biggest grin on his face, eyes never leaving the glee club on stage. The Warblers never expected their Angel friend to find his Soulmate here; it was just a regional glee club competition, but now it was so much more. This was the start of a big part of Blaine’s life that could either be miraculously wonderful or disastrously terrible. Everyone who knew him was hoping fiercely for the former.

“Point him out to me,” David requested.

Blaine pointed. “He’s got brown hair, he’s tall, pale, dances wonderfully, and has the prettiest smile. David, he’s perfect.”

There were a lot of tall, brown-haired boys in the New Directions, so David couldn’t really tell which Blaine’s Soulmate was. The Angel nudged him again. “Do you see him?” he asked eagerly.

“Yep,” David lied. Blaine didn’t seem to notice.

*****

The New Directions exited the stage with excited smiles on their faces. “Dude, that was awesome!” Finn said, giving Mike Chang a high-five. He and Brittany had performed an amazing dance solo that stole the show. “We are so gonna win!”

“I don’t know...those prep school boys were pretty good,” Tina said.

“No, we have to win, guys,” Rachel interjected, “I need to get to New York.”

Kurt couldn’t resist rolling his eyes. He wanted to go to New York more than anything, too. But Rachel never thought of anyone besides herself.

They had a brief break in which the judges deliberated. Pretty soon, all three groups were called to the stage. They stood in nervous clusters in the middle of the space, squinting a little in the bright lights. The judges filed on stage and the clown opened the envelope with a flourish.

“In third place…” Dramatic pause, “…the Hipsters!”

The elderly glee club clapped excitedly and grabbed their trophy before making their slow way off the stage. The remaining groups moved a little closer together, filling the space that the Hipsters had occupied between them. Without meaning to, Kurt found his gaze being drawn to the Angel from Dalton Academy. What he didn’t expect was for the winged boy to be staring right back at him with a huge smile lighting up his face. Nervously, Kurt skirted his gaze away and felt his cheeks heat up. The soloist was probably grinning in excitement…but that realization didn’t stop Kurt’s heart from pattering against his ribs.

The second envelope was opened and everyone in the room held their breath.

“And…first place goes to…” Achingly dramatic pause, “…the Dalton Academy Warblers!”

Kurt felt the hope that had been lodged in his throat drop into his stomach, leaving a dull ache in its place. The cheers from the other glee club barely registered in his mind and neither did the stunned sadness of his friends. All he knew was the suffocating disappointment. He wasn’t going to New York. He was a failure.

Numbly, he looked over, feeling the confetti land on his hair. Under the bright lights the Warblers were bouncing around, hugging each other and cheering. However, not all of them were celebrating. 

The Angel was staring at him again, a sad sort of smile on his lips. This time, Kurt didn’t look away. He just stared right back, and watched carefully as the attractive young man approached him through the chaos. 

He stopped walking when they were about a meter away from each other. Kurt just looked at him, aware of the way the confetti landed on his shoulders, in the other boy’s curly hair. The soloist’s wings seemed larger and more surreal in real life. Compared to the pictures he’d seen on the internet, looking at one at relatively close proximity was a whole different thing. They looked smoother, but also stronger, than they seemed from afar. The boy wasn’t actually making eye contact with him, Kurt noticed. His hazel eyes were fixated a small distance above him, it seemed. Kurt, a little paranoid and still reeling from his recent loss, checked to see if his hair was messed up or something.

At his movement, the shorter boy seemed to snap out of it and he blushed, looking down at his shined shoes before finally making eye contact with Kurt. “I’m Blaine,” he said loudly over the hubbub on stage. Kurt stared at his offered hand for a moment before grasping it in a firm shake like his father taught him.

“Kurt,” he replied. Blaine smiled even wider, his eyes sparkling under thick eyebrows that were raised in attentiveness. Kurt watched in silent confusion as the Angel mouthed his name as if tasting it on his tongue. “So, um…” Blaine looked up when Kurt spoke once more, “Congratulations on your win.” He could see Finn watching them from the corner of his eye and he shot him a reassuring look. His step-brother nodded in return and backed off from his protective stance, on the verge of interrupting.

“Oh, yeah,” Blaine said, “Thank you.” He bit his lip. “But you looked quite sad. Are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Kurt replied, eyebrows raised in surprise. People rarely took notice of his emotions, rarely cared when he was crestfallen…or being hurt.

Blaine was about to say something else, but Rachel galloped up to her friend and grabbed his arm. “Come on, Kurt,” she said, “We’re leaving.” She looked like she’d been crying dramatically but there were, thankfully, no mascara tracks down her face to make her look even more miserable. Thank God for waterproof makeup. “Oh,” she said, seeming to notice Blaine standing there, “Great job and congratulations.” Her smile towards the soloist was blindingly fake, but at least she wasn’t glowering at him.

Blaine nodded and smiled briefly in her direction, but his gaze never left Kurt’s face. “You’re leaving?” he asked the taller boy.

Kurt shrugged one shoulder. “Yeah,” he replied, “I guess…I’ll see you later.”

He turned to walk away, but was startled by a strong hand grabbing his in a firm but gentle grip. “Wait, Kurt, wait!” Kurt turned around and Blaine smiled again—did he ever stop?—and said, “I need to tell you something!”

Rachel sighed a little. “Okay, Kurt, we’ll wait for you in the bus. Just don’t take too long.” The stage was clearing off and people were filing from their seats. The Warblers, strangely enough, were leaving them alone with knowing looks on their faces. Kurt was further confused and slightly concerned. Were they going to beat him up or something?

“Um…what’s up?” he asked cautiously. 

Blaine shuffled his feet, his wings fluttering a little in apparent nervousness. “Well, uh,” he stammered, “I know this is a little sudden. Believe me; I was quite surprised when I first saw you in the audience, but…”

“Wait, what?” Kurt asked, “What are you talking about?”

“Kurt,” Blaine said, looking up at him with large hazel eyes under the stage lights. The only people around them were the audience members, filing out of the auditorium and mumbling in the background, and the Warblers quietly leaving the stage. The confetti was a bright carpet on the floor beneath them. Blaine took a deep breath. “You’re my Soulmate.”

*****

Blaine watched Kurt’s face, nearly holding his breath in anticipation. He had no idea how the taller boy would react and he knew it was a lot to take in. At first, Kurt just blinked his pretty blue eyes slowly. “Um, what?” he said finally.

“Oh,” Blaine came to a sudden realization; maybe Kurt didn’t know much about Angels. “Well, every Angel has a Soulmate...” he began, but was cut off.

“No, Blaine, I know what a Soulmate is…but,” he looked absolutely bewildered, stunned, “I’m yours? Are you sure?”

The shorter boy shook his head and laughed a little. “Yes, Kurt. I’ve never been more certain of anything in my entire life.” He looked up at the Halo above Kurt’s head that only he could see. It was shedding a faint, warm and beautiful glow over the both of them.

He could pinpoint the exact moment that everything clicked in Kurt’s brain. The taller boy swayed a little on his feet and Blaine rushed forward to gently hold his arm. Kurt stared at him like he was the most peculiar and impossible thing he had ever seen. “You’re serious.” Blaine nodded in affirmation. “This…this is huge.”

“Tell me about it,” Blaine said, staring at the other boy from this new proximity. He was even more breathtaking up close.

“I, uh,” Kurt muttered, shaking his head as if he just woke up, “I need…time. To process this.”

Blaine nodded, moving away from the other boy’s personal space. “Of course, I understand.”

“No, hey, wait!” Kurt blurted, grabbing the Angel’s hand before he could back up too far. “I just…can’t make any kind of decisions or anything right now. This is big. And I’m kind of in shock,” Awkward laugh, “So, maybe, could I get your number? So we can text—and I’ll get my brain together—and then we can meet up and sort everything out, okay?”

Blaine nodded graciously, “Of course, Kurt.” He pulled his phone out from the inside pocket of his blazer, and the two boys exchanged phone numbers. 

A hesitant hug and lots of shell-shocked and fleeting smiles later, they parted ways.

*****

“Hey, boys. How was your glee competition?”

“We lost. I don’t think I’ll be able to survive Rachel’s mood swings after this, Burt, I really don’t.”

“Chin up, Finn; your mom made cookies. Their purpose was either celebrating or…well, this. So, go to town.”

“Sweet!”

“Now, what’s up with you, Kurt? Something’s on your mind and I don’t think it’s just about the competition.”

“Dad…something, um, something happened…”

“Oh, no. What is it? Tell me.”

“Well, I, uh…I met someone.”

“…Let’s go to the living room. You and your old man are going to have a good heart-to-heart.”

*****

After a long talk with his dad, a lot of internet research, and a week of casually texting Blaine, Kurt was finally ready to meet up with the soloist from Dalton.

Burt had given him advice about protecting himself and his heart, and also being safe and responsible and never being afraid to come to his father about anything. 

The internet, on the other hand, was not as encouraging. Kurt browsed official sites on the education of Angels in the modern age, read testimonies from Angels and their Soulmates alike, and just generally got himself acquainted with this new perspective. There were some absolutely horrifying accounts of relationships going wrong that nearly made Kurt sick. Angels can’t choose who their Soulmate is and, sometimes, that person doesn’t want them. But the Angel literally needs to spend time with them, so they end up getting heartbroken and abused in a place where they’re unwanted, seen as an annoyance, and yet they still follow their Halo. It was absolutely heartbreaking.

Kurt vowed to never make Blaine feel anything less than extraordinary. 

He was now sitting in a booth near the window at the Lima Bean, a coffee cup clutched in his hands to keep them from shaking. He was so nervous; Blaine was something remarkable, wonderful, precious…and he was just Kurt. He was so scared of messing up, of not being enough, that it made his head hurt. But, he owed Blaine this, so he wasn’t about to back out now.

Kurt was just staring at his reflection in the window, making sure his scarf was still looking good, when he looked up to see Blaine approaching his table. “Kurt, hi!” the shorter boy said with an eager little wave. Kurt couldn’t help but smile at the sight of the other boy. Then, he noticed something.

Blaine wasn’t wearing his Dalton uniform, but that wasn’t what seemed off. His beautiful white wings weren’t anywhere to be seen. Kurt felt a jolt of panic flare through his chest; Did he make everything up in his own head? Was he crazy?

Just as his thoughts were starting to careen out of control, Blaine spoke up in his velvety voice. “Hey, what’s up? You look a little…worried.”

Kurt looked up with wide blue eyes. “Where…are your wings?” he asked quietly.

Blaine let out a startled laugh as he settled himself into the seat opposite the pale boy. “Oh, I have this harness thing for when I go out in public. It’s kinda bunchy and uncomfortable under my jacket, but I’ll be okay for a few hours.”

Kurt couldn’t help but sigh in relief. He hadn’t been hallucinating. “Oh, okay. I see.” He noticed the Styrofoam cup in the shorter boy’s tan hand. “You already got your coffee? I was going to buy you one.”

Blaine blushed. “Oh, yeah, sorry. But, that’s sweet of you, anyway.”

“Next time?” Hopeful.

“Next time.” Reassuring.

There was a silence then, in which Blaine contentedly watched the rain patter lightly on the window beside them, and Kurt noticed the moisture clinging to Blaine’s dark curls from the walk. When Blaine turned his head and met Kurt’s eyes before the taller boy could look away, he gave him a small smile, as if they were sharing a wonderful secret. Kurt, forgetting that he wasn’t supposed to be staring in the first place, smiled back.

“So, Kurt,” Blaine began, “I just wanted to let you know that you don’t have to feel obligated to be in a relationship with me. I’d be perfectly fine if you wanted—”

Kurt interrupted, “Blaine, you’re only interested in me, right? I mean, your Soulmate is the only person you’re attracted to.”

A faint smile and a glance above Kurt’s head to something only he could see. “You’ve done your research. Yes, that’s true. But it doesn’t mean that you have to limit yourself. We could have an open relationship or even—”

“Stop right there.”

Blaine froze and raised his eyebrows. Kurt boldly reached over and took the shorter boy’s hand in his. “Blaine, I like you. A lot. And, there’s absolutely no way that I’m going to degrade your impossible dedication to me, make you feel like you’re less than you are. If we’re going to be in a relationship, it’s going to be exclusive. And I’m going to work to appreciate you as much as you innately appreciate me.” Kurt didn't know where the words came from, but he was glad that he could be articulate in explaining himself to Blaine.

His large hazel eyes brimmed with unexpected moisture and he turned his head away to collect himself, but he didn’t move his hand from Kurt’s grasp. “Kurt, I… I wasn’t sure what would come out of this. And I tried to be prepared for every possible outcome that you wanted. This one was pretty low on the scale of likelihood…and, Kurt,” he broke off with a little sigh and a watery chuckle, “Are you serious?”

“Of course.”

Blaine then shot out of his seat to tackle Kurt in an unexpected hug. “Thank you, thank you, thank you,” he whispered into the side of the taller boy’s neck. Kurt was frozen for a few moments before finding himself enough to hug the boy around the waist. Blaine pulled away with an impossible smile. “You’re perfect.”

Kurt couldn’t breathe. For his whole life, he had been teased and pushed around, called names and objectified. He had only ever known love from his family and his small group of friends. This was something new, something impossibly strong and wonderful and exciting. 

Kurt leaned forward and placed the gentlest of kisses to Blaine’s mouth.

When he pulled back mere moments later, Blaine was staring at him in stunned silence. Then, his lips pulled up into a smile. Kurt would never forget how he felt in that moment.

Seeming to realize how he must look, practically in Kurt’s lap in the middle of the Lima Bean, he moved back to his seat, flushed and delighted. “So,” he said, clutching his coffee cup once more.

“So.”

“Are we, um, boyfriends?”

“I think so.”

“Great.” 

Kurt couldn’t stop smiling. The conversation should have been awkward, but it wasn’t. “Do you want to come over to my house? To, like, watch a movie or something? You can meet my brother, too,” he suggested, “And let out your wings, be more comfortable.”

Blaine nodded. “Sure, that sounds great.”

They got up and walked out the door of the Lima Bean, hands clasped naturally between them. Somehow, on their way to the parking lot, they ended up spinning around in the rain, laughing like children, to be followed up by a rain-soaked kiss.

This was new for both of them, scary in an exhilarating and wonderful way. They found what they didn’t know they needed in each other, and they weren’t about to let that pass them by.

*****

Everywhere I'm looking now  
I'm surrounded by your embrace  
Baby, I can see your halo  
You know you're my saving grace  
You're everything I need and more  
It's written all over your face  
Baby, I can feel your halo  
Pray it won't fade away

*****

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Feel free to let me know what you thought of this AU! :) If you have any questions or comments, I'm always willing to reply.
> 
> Take care.  
> -Patricia Sage


End file.
